This invention relates to a fireplace and particularly relates to a fireplace having a direct top venting for both directing exhaust gas outdoor as well as conducting frest air into the firebox for providing high efficiency combustion and heating purposes.
Heretofore, fireplaces have not been efficient for use for heating purposes. this is mainly due to that a large amount of the heat generated in the fireplace is invariably dissipated with the exhaust gas released through the chimney. Furthermore, the combustion efficiency of the gas in the fireplace particularly for a natural gas fireplace is low due to the lack of frest air. In order to supply fresh air to the fireplace a separate ducting apart from the exhaust chimney or ducting is required to direct the fresh air from the outdoor into the fireplace. Such separate ducting requires addition time and labour to install. Also, due to the high temperature of the exhaust gas, the exhaust ducting is commonly adapted at the top portion of the rear panel of the fireplace, necessitating the use of an extra elbow coupling to join with the vertical rise section of the exhaust ducting. Thus, extra space in the building structure is required to accommodate the elbow coupling, making it impossible to install the fireplace close to the wall located adjacent to its rear.